The year 2009 was a year of highs and lows. I've written about a lot of things, mostly mainstream...then I've also posted some lows. I got so caught up with so many things, I almost forgot THE MAJOR HIGHLIGHT OF MY LIFE this past year...my Maia's 1st birthday party!
I assure you, it wasn't deliberate. It's just one of those things that I said I would really prepare for so that I may come up with a really good post. Until 1 day became 1 week, which turned into 1 month, and so on.
I think that if I can do a late post about my husband's nephew's birthday, and about our "food escapades", then I can easily write about my only-child's 1st birthday celebration.
Anyway, Maia is now 1 year, 7 months and 13 days old as of this writing. Nonetheless, I believe that it's still better that I started this now, than wait and realize that she is now off to grade school! So, here goes...
Preparations for Maia's birthday all started as early as December 2008...from the venue, the birthday cake, kiddie party planner, photographer, door prizes, and right down to the party give-aways or souvenirs. The worldwide web and, more specifically, Google.com was most helpful to me during this time. I can't imagine how parents were ever able to organize or plan a party without access to the internet! Can't even remember how Cupid and I were able to put-together our wedding 3 years ago!
Fortunately, we met some really nice and no-nonsense suppliers which made all the planning, meetings, and "comings-and-goings" easier to do. It was decided that Maia's party be held on a weekend so that all our friends and family could attend the event. But since our venue of choice was booked for Saturday the 30th, we had no other recourse but to hold the party on Sunday (the 31st). It was also decided that, since Maia was crazy about Mickey Mouse & Friends at the time, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse would be the theme for the party. So, that was settled.
May 27, 2009, Maia's actual birthday. We celebrated it quite simply by hearing mass at the Padre Pio Church in Libis, Quezon City, where we had Maia (and ourselves) blessed by the priest. I remember feeling very "positive" and "holy" then; and our Maia very much protected. On the way home from Church, we bought Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cake. Then just ate a simple birthday dinner of Italian Sausage Pasta (cooked by yours truly!). Aside from her father and I, her Lola Lily and her yaya Neneng, Maia also celebrated the day with her Lola Kay (Lola Lily's sister), Tita Klaudine, Ninang Klaire and cousin Cara.May 31, 2009. THE DAY...finally! I remember feeling very relieved that the day of the party has finally come. I remember hoping that Cupid and I can finally just sit back, relax and enjoy the fruits of our hard work. That day, unfortunately, our Maia was a little fussy. She was fine in the beginning. But when the guests started piling in, she became a little uncomfortable. I guess, she just isn't that used to so many people hovering over her, kissing her and all.
Following are just some of the photos taken from that happy and activity-filled day. Hope you enjoy viewing them all. And if you like what you see, feel free to contact the suppliers:
The venue: Roof Deck, The Prestige Tower
Address: F. Ortigas, Jr. Road (formerly Emerald Ave.), Ortigas Center, Pasig City
Telephone No.: 910-6361
Contact Person: Shalou Jalandoni (really accommodating and easy-to-talk-to)
Prizes for the games!
Bought these from:
CJD School, Office Supplies and Gift Shop
(special shout-out to the proprietor, Nelson Chua and his son
for being very accommodating and for giving us MAJOR BARGAINS for all our purchases)
Address: Ground Floor, Stall 09, 168 Mall, cor. Sta. Elena and Soler Streets, Manila
Telephone No.: 247-7336 or 701-0463
Souvenir/ Give-away Bags for all the kids!
We stuffed them up with Mickey & Friends Coloring and sticker books,
pencils and erasers, rulers, markers, pencil tin cases, bubble-makers, candies, etc.
Blue Mickey Mouse backpacks for the boys. Pink Minnie Mouse backpacks for the girls.
Maia's yummy birthday cake
(plus give-away cupcakes which were such a hit with the kids, and grown-ups as well!)
By: Kitchen Krafts Novelty Cakes
(per Rizal's recommendation and after much online reasearch on my part)
Address: 456 Calbayog St. corner Samat St., Mandaluyong City
Telephone Nos.: 533-5288 or 381-7058
Maia's guests helping themselves to french fries and pinoy sorbetes (ice cream)!
Good thing they remembered to leave room for the food!
Good thing they remembered to leave room for the food!
The french fries and ice cream were part of our agreement with our coordinator, Rizal Bueno of Fabulous Events. Rizal has experience in the events-planning business. We found it really comfortable talking to him about what we wanted for Maia's party. He was very patient. Rizal can work according to his clients' budgets yet able to remain creative and not restrict his services to a "pre-formatted package". A very down-to-earth guy, he never imposed his decisions/ suggestions but was always careful to ask us what we thought, and always reminded us that it was our daughter's party and our final decision...that he was just there to coordinate and polish things up for us. If you're interested in his services, you may reach him at -
Contact Nos.: 493-3349 or 497-2359
Mobile Nos.: 0915-891-7116
Jeric Flores, our party host,
came highly-recommended by our coordinator, Rizal Bueno.
He made sure to have party games for the kids...
came highly-recommended by our coordinator, Rizal Bueno.
He made sure to have party games for the kids...
...for the adults...
...and the yayas as well :)
I caught Maia sound asleep amidst all the noise and excitement.
Glorious food c/o The Prestige Tower's resident concessionaire, Chow Unlimited.
Presenting from L-R: Creamy Bacon Spaghetti, Pork with Oyster Sauce, Lemon Chicken, Vegetable Tempura.
For dessert, there was Buco Pandan.
There was also rice.
Sodas and Iced Tea were served for drinks.
Presenting from L-R: Creamy Bacon Spaghetti, Pork with Oyster Sauce, Lemon Chicken, Vegetable Tempura.
For dessert, there was Buco Pandan.
There was also rice.
Sodas and Iced Tea were served for drinks.
Where there is food, there is ALWAYS a long line.
But we made sure the kids never had to fall in line.
They were served Fried Chicken, Spaghetti and Fruit Juice (also c/o the venue) :)
Kids paying careful attention to the magic show!
...and pretending to be brave! :)
Having a blast with the puppet show...
And balloon-twisting...
I think, almost all the kids at the party went home with a balloon sculpture from Jeric.
Our host is soooo multi-talented, don't you think? :)
Time to blow your birthday cake, Maia! (Shouldn't it be, the candle?)
But wait, more prizes were still to be had after the Balloon Burst! :)
Finally, it was time to issue-out the souvenir bags to the kids.
Maia's gifts!!!
This was taken immediately after the programme/ party.
That's our coordinator, Rizal Bueno, handing-out the coin banks with Tootsie Rolls inside
(courtesy of Maia's Ninang-Tita May from Simi Valley, CA).
We were supposed to give these away as door prizes but almost forgot to inform Rizal about them.
Maia was so tired, she just went ahead and took another nap.
Then here she is, just 15 minutes after, feeling so refreshed! :)
All photos are courtesy of Albert Nogot of AFN Photography
Mobile No.: 0916-519-0421
Website: http://afnphotography.multiply.com/
I dare say, that Maia's 1st birthday celebration, was a successful one. And although I've been advised a couple of times that throwing a party for her at that age might not have been such a good idea nor a practical thing to do; that she wouldn't remember it anyway; that we should only celebrate when she starts going to school or only during milestone years like 7, 10, 16, 18 and 21 years of age...
In the final analysis, I still thought it was a great idea to celebrate her 1st year of life...more as an expression of thanksgiving, at a time when the news always presented a lot of sick babies and even infants dying during the 1st year. Plus, I really intend to show Maia later on how much we value her and that day. If we will be fortunate enough to give Maia another party in the future, I won't mind going through all this again.
But before I forget, I want to thank Maia's grandparents -- Lolo Ver & La Mimi, Lola Lily, Lolo Chito -- for their generosity and emotional-, financial- and spiritual-support, without which the party would not have been as smooth-sailing as it was. Thank you for showing us how much you love our Maia. More importantly, I would like to thank my husband and Maia's father, Cupid, for always being very supportive of me and my "projects"...I am truly very lucky that I have him for a husband. I know that, with him, Maia and I will be loved...always and forever!
Thanks for taking time to read this long and "sappy" blog. Godspeed! :)
